Blog
Are Past Choices Robbing You of Freedom?
Freedom? I don't know about you, but I often feel like I still have chains binding me to choices, relationships, behaviors, and situations. The truth is, I may still live with the consequences of those choices and situations, but I live with them as a free person. A...
Yosemite’s Lesson: You Are God’s Masterpiece
Have You Seen Yosemite Valley? It is breathtaking from any angle. From the sky, I love identifying its iconic peaks and domes. The tunnel view - that first glimpse from the road. We always stop there and take the same pictures - but they are different each time. Have...
Were You Kind to Yourself?
The endless days of summer aren't as "endless" as they used to be. I'm sure many of you are ready for the schedule and routine that follows the school year calendar. You may have already taken those first day of school photos and summer is in your rear view mirror....
“Does Anything Live Forever? Discovering the Only Eternal Hope in a World of Change”
My roses are one of the happiest things about spring. They're not the first to bloom, but as their buds begin to form and open, I can't wait to cut them and put them in vases around the house. At the same time, I want to leave them to enjoy, when I’m outside....
New Season, Same God
I love that spring comes after winter. It's a gift that the season of new life, fresh growth and possibility, follows the season with short days and long cold nights. The older I become, the more the shortening days in fall make me sad. I'm never ready for the...
Ready, Set, Refresh!
Does September ever feel like January to you? At the beginning of the year we get a fresh start and a reset. September, like January, is the "start" of many things, school being the most obvious. At my age, I'm past the stage of keeping a tight hold on school...
The thought started small, and I assumed, innocent enough. After all, I’m just thinking what I’m thinking. But as it bubbled up, I didn’t put it in check, rather I watched it, or let it, too quickly come to a boil. The problem for me as a high verbal person, is...
Prickly on Purpose
I recently visited a friend in Prescott, Arizona. On our walk around the neighborhood, I stopped to capture an image of the blossoming beauties by the roadside. This high desert area is not just home to cactus, but oaks, cottonwoods, pines and junipers. Rugged granite...
Transported by Fragrant Memories
Nothing stirs my emotions like a favorite aroma. My mom used to make cinnamon bread on Sunday mornings before church. One sniff and I am transported to the place where I experienced the fragrant memory. I used a particular lotion on my first mission trip and every...
Comparison Got You Down?
But God, she's prettier, more talented, a better mom, wife, sister, friend … I used to think only the full blooming flowers earned the label of "beautiful". What about you? When I look at a fully blossomed flower, I can clearly see it's at a different stage of growth...
Controlling or Trusting?
I'm a fixer, a get it done girl, an advanced planner and someone who likes to think she has some control over situations and circumstances. As I prepare to share messages about Ruth, Tamar and Miriam, I've been juggling thoughts as I've been reading, highlighting and...
Imagine we were having a conversation and I said, “It’s a new year and it still feels like December.” I’m guessing you would say something like, “I get it. It’s okay if it doesn’t feel new yet. There’s no right or wrong way to feel about a new year.” I might say, “My...
In the Dark and Unknown Mary Sang
Even with all the hustle and bustle, my heart longs to sit in the glow of the fire light, and think about the journey Mary took to bring the Light into this dark world. In a situation most would crumble and cry, scripture tells us that Mary sang. She didn't sing...
Humbled, Again
Can I be honest? I found myself more than irritated with the "customer service" rep on the other end of the phone. I thought my request was simple enough, but I ended up with a bigger mess. Sadly, my irritation was obvious, and I was more direct than needed with the...
Why Age and Grace go Together
In my teens I thought thirty somethings were over-the-hill, ancient people. Then when I turned 30, it felt like a light clicked on and I understood life better. After all, I was the oldest I had ever been. My husband and I carried this phrase into parenting. We used...
How to Change the Inner Should Soundtrack
Do you ever get a song stuck in your head and you just can't make it go away? It plays over and over and over again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There's a track that plays in my mind, much like a familiar tune, on repeat. But this track isn’t a happy dance tune, it’s rather melancholy,...
The Right Shoes for the Job
I love my yellow boots. Although they are perfect for mucking through garden mud and planting pansies, they could hardly be called the “right shoe” for a day at the office or a night out when I need a more polished look. Understanding the "right shoe for the job" has...
When Real Life isn’t Like a Fairy Tale
Once upon a time there was a mom with three young kids who didn't know how to ask for help. Even when her legs and joints stopped working, as the pain of Valley Fever attacked her body, she put on the "I'm okay" mask and tried to carry on with life. However, in...
For someone who wants to be heard, I am a terrible listener at times. I'm determined to make a change in this behavior, so I started looking through my wisdom book (the Bible) for the word listen or hear. I discovered authors often paired listen with “they did not”!...
Why Stuck Sheep Need Saving
When was the last time you were out in a field in the middle of the night and the heavens opened with angels singing? Me either! It's no coincidence that of all the characters included in the Christmas narrative, shepherds received a center stage moment. I don't have...